Focus On Marketing

While some have accused Canon of playing it safe with its recent camera launches, the company revealed a number of concept cameras at CES 2020 that prove innovation is still at the heart of what they do!
2 cameras in particular have made appearances at trade events which leads us to believe that the company is both intent and close to bringing them to market.
First is the 100-400mm Canon Multifunctional Camera, which offers an easy way to enjoy telephoto shooting with smart...phone integration, while the Canon Intelligent Camera might be the device that sits next to the Echo in the corner of your room, with speech and gesture recognition for automated shooting.
While neither cameras may ever make it to market, Canon doesn't show off this tech idly; another of these concepts, the Canon Ivy Rec, made it to production and retail release last year. So with the Canon Intelligent Camera in its fourth generation of development, and the Multifunctional Camera in its second, we certainly expect them to materialise sooner or later!
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Did you know? No?
So get yourself over to your LinkedIn profile and get messaging and interacting!

Canon is holding true to action points from its recent financial reports, and seems to be consolidating many of its DSLR offerings to concentrate on a more mirrorless-focused future!
Last year they combined the Canon EOS 80D and the Canon EOS 7D lines into the new Canon EOS 90D, and they have just announced a new Canon EOS 850D / Canon EOS Rebel T8i that will replace both the Canon EOS 77D and the Canon EOS 800D / Canon EOS Rebel T7i.
Aside from the new Canon EOS-1D X, Canon...'s future seems to be a mirrorless one – with the expanding Canon EOS R series, but also with the EOS M line of APS-C mirrorless cameras like the Canon EOS M6, as well as its line of instant cameras led by the Canon Ivy Cliq+.
So what's next? Right now, it's all about the amazing-looking R5… After plenty of speculation, the Canon EOS R5 has been officially announced – and the camera will make its public debut at The Photography Show in March
What do you guys think of it? Do you think it's going to be a hit?
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Earlier on in the week I showed you some work by Reuben Wu who is a visual artist from Chicago who uses artificial light from drone LEDs to illuminate landscapes at night.
The series of images is called Lux Noctis and depicts landscapes unbound by time and space, influenced by ideas of planetary exploration!
So here's some more - what are your ideas about how he created these images? Heavy editing or great photography?

Do you use a body harness to carry your cameras around with you? Just like the ones in the images below, they can be picked up on Amazon but can also be quite expensive if you want all of the bells and whistles!
The Camera Swagg (orange) looks great and is sure to attract compliments whenever you wear it out and about on shoots as well as being hugely practical if you're a bit clumsy with regular straps!
This is a vegan-friendly (a non-leather camera strap!) version of the hu...gely popular Holdfast MoneyMaker and is made from high grade cotton canvas and available in four amazing colours! I love the bright orange one.
The Camera Swagg features anchored metal rings and safety straps that connect to the side mount of your camera, completely bypassing the clip and screw for ultimate camera security!
Do any of you guys have this? What do you think? Images: Holdfast Gear & Mark Condon
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If you're new to photography or even if you're experienced, I think the top 8 things you need to have in your kit are:
1. Camera and a backup Body 2. Lenses, wide, telephoto at least 3. Flash ... 4. A tripod 5. Camera bag 6. Plenty of Spare Batteries 7. Memory cards 8. Editing software Let me know below if you have these 8 things and see if we can come up with the ultimate photographers kit! If you disagree with some of them then what would you substitute and why?
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I’ve been looking at some really interesting work this week by Reuben Wu who is a visual artist from Chicago who uses artificial light from drone LEDs to illuminate landscapes at night.
The series of images is called Lux Noctis and depicts landscapes unbound by time and space, influenced by ideas of planetary exploration!
We should be in awe of the raw beauty of our planet and the universe beyond! Who else thinks these are amazing? Have you created anything similar?

Get a lot more engagement on your LinkedIn content with these top tips I share. You start to see your posts trending and your videos going viral once you understand how to use the LinkedIn algorithm to your advantage!
Watch my video here - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9DvwloaO3ug

It’s hard to find a good balance between having all the photography kit and actually being able to make some use of it. We've all seen it, from one extreme to another. Whether it's someone taking photos of the New York skyline using an iPad because they didn’t want to carry a camera or someone who carries round a huge DSLR, five lenses, a tripod and a laptop all in a huge carry box. So, this kit post is more about discussion than tell you all what you need to take with you or... don't need to take! Personally, I think if you're just out and about with family or friends, or a walk with the dog then just your camera or even a high quality smart phone would do but I wouldn't drag around all of the bells and whistles unless it was a client job, that's just because... well there's a lot of it! How many of you carry your whole kit, even in the boot of your car, with you everywhere? I'm really interested too know why, instead of just your camera? Or the opposite, if you carry just your camera then why not your whole kit?
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You guys keep tagging me in your amazing work on Instagram or inspirational work that you love! Here's one from an unknown artist which I just love!
Something so simple like a (re-usable or recycled!) plastic bottle can work wonders if you don't have the right equipment with you but you need that perfect shot.
Shot by Jordi Koalitic!

This is Sigma's first full-frame digital camera at only 370 grams! So far the worlds smallest and lightest camera - or s they claim! This 24.6 megapixel mirrorless camera has its own family of lenses and accessories too – thanks to its partnership with Panasonic and Leica! There are also a good amount of lenses already available for the fp and there is a promise of over 40 primes and zooms by the end of 2020! Would you buy the extras? And thanks to Sigma's own MC-21 and MC-31... adaptors, the fp can already be used with many more Canon EF, Sigma SA, and Arri PL-mount lenses. Sigma hasn't announced when the Sigma fp will be released or how much it will cost, but the company's other mirrorless cameras range from £600 to £1,000 so we assume it will be in this range! What do you guys think, do you rate this camera or not?
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Are you a Wedding Photographer looking to increase your bookings and enquires.
Check out my latest podcast interview on Evolve Your Wedding Business Podcast Show, I'm sure you'll love the tips and advice I share in this episode that has helped me book and photograph over 750 weddings since starting out in 2004.

Are you fully utilising all LinkedIn has to offer on its mobile app messaging? Depending on your location and profile you can now send video 2 minute messages as well as short voice clips and really personalise your reponses to potential clients. I find replying with a short personal video message really makes a huge difference in building relationships, plus its a hell of a lot easier and quicker than typing a reply. Try it guys.

Today I've been looking at the Nikon Z7 camera on 'AmatuerPhotographers Blog', the Sony's Alpha A7 III has some serious competition here, there's a whole minefield of great cameras from various brands out there but the ones which seem to catch peoples attention are always the mirrorless ones.
What's so special about a mirrorless camera?
Simply, mirrorless cameras, and sometimes also called EVIL (electronic viewfinder, interchangeable lens) feature a single, removable lens an...d uses a digital display rather than acviewfinder. The word "mirrorless" means that the camera doesn't have an optical mirror or an optical viewfinder like a conventional SLR does.
So which is better?
Mirrorless cameras have the advantage of being lighter, more compact and sometimes faster but that comes at the cost of fewer lenses and accessories. DSLRs advantages can include a wider selection of lenses and better optical viewfinders!
So it's over to you, you decide! What do you have?
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This is the Insta360 ONE R and comes in at a hefty £549.99
ONE R 1-Inch Edition is ready for ultra-high-res 5.3K capture. Day or night, bring your shots to life with vivid detail that holds up in shadows, highlights and everything in between.
FlowState achieves gimbal-like stabilization without the gimbal. Thanks to a new scene-detection algorithm, your footage stays clear and steady even in low light.
... ONE R's 1-inch sensor puts it in a class of its own for low-light shooting. Indoors or late night, ONE R brings out detail and color that other cameras lose in the shadows.
Would you use this little camera or do you think a DSLR would work better for being on the move?
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What's Makes YOU different than other Photographers?
Be Unique, Be Different and Develop Your Photography Niche.
There's never been as many photographers in the industry as there are right now and that's not going to change.
... Potential clients no longer just search out a local photographer on the high street, they search scores of photographers online looking for the one that meets their needs.
Offering a first class service and high quality images doesn't make your any different than every other photographer online, everyone claims to offer this.
Develop your own Unique Selling Point and be different.
Wether it's your unique pricing packages. express 24 hour turn around, 100% money back guarantee or your free creative storyboard consultation service you need to focus on more than just images alone.
Make yourself the perfect fit for your ideal client, understand their fears and buying concerns then offer a solution to their needs.
If you don't stand out you'll get lost amongst the 1000s of general and freelance photographers all battling over price.
Become a specialist, target an industry or market, understand what your market needs then develop a service that they'll love.
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I've been looking at some pretty cool cameras that are hitting the market, this one is the Insta360 EVO!
EVO is built to move. FlowState Stabilization keeps your video shake-free so you can capture footage that’s smooth, steady and headset-ready.
EVO’s high dynamic range keeps your moment natural and vibrant in every direction. Be it a sunset in paradise or a walk in the woods.
... Highlight key moments with cinematic slow-mo, or speed things up with a stabilized hyperlapse.
I think it looks like a great little piece of kit for the adventurer inside you!
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How many of you have one of these instead of a GoPro? What are your opinions?
GO uses proprietary FlowState stabilization to keep your footage impossibly smooth. No gear. No hassle.
GO shoots stabilized hyperlapses and recommends the perfect playback speed for your shot.
... GO uses AI-powered FlashCut to find your best shots and edit them together on beat. FlashCut is trained to sort your shots by theme and quality, so you can spend more time capturing and less time fiddling.
Shoot fixed-perspective timelapses for hours at a time. No angle is out of reach.
Find the perfect spot, set a shooting interval and capture the flow of time.
Is it too good to be true?!
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